Feeding mechanism for tin-plate-lithographing machines



c: FlNlgiA-N FEEDING MECHANISM FOR TiN PLATE LITHQGRAPHING MACHINES Filed May 27-. 1922 2 Shets-Sheet 1 C. FIINEGAN FEEDING MECHANISM FOR TIN PLATE LITHOGRAPHING MACHINES Filed May 27, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i gvvueml ofc Wifiesses marias %wz elbbozmm Patent dy 3, i923.

CHARLES FINIGAN, 01E GIBSONIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FEEDING- MECii i NISM FOR TIN-PLATE-LITHOGR 1- i Application filed May 27, 1922. Serial life. 584,258.

To all wiwm it my camera:

Be it known that I, CHARLES FINIGAN, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Gibsonia, in the county of Allegheny and State of Penns lvania, have invented new and useful mprovements in Feeding Mechanism for Tin-Plate-Lithographic Machines, ofwhich the following is a s ecification.

11 carrying out the present invention-it is my purpose to provide a feeding mechanism for machines that are used for lithographing tin plates such as are employed in the making of tobacco boxes, perfume boxes and the like, whereby the plates may be fed to the lithographing machine singly and at proper intervals, thereby preventing choking of the lithographing machine.

t is also my purpose to provide a feeding mechanism for the purposedescribed which will operate efiiciently' and effectivel under all conditions, which may be instal ed and maintained at a minimum expense and wherein the component parts will be so arranged and correlated as to reduce the possibility of derangement to a minimum.

A further object of my invention is to improve and simplify the eneral construction of feeding mechanism or machines of the type set forth, and to provide a feeding mechanism which will be posltive and accurate in operation.

With the above recited ObJBClJS 111 view, and others of a like nature, the invention resides in the construction, combination and arran ement of parts set forth in and falling wlthin the scope of theappended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevatlon of my im roved feeding mechanism.

igure 2 is a view of the other side of the machine.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional vie showing a detail of the invention.

'Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view.

Fi re 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectiona view showing a detail of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, A designates a magazine contalnlng a stack of metal plates 1 piled one upon another and lying in face to face contact. Ad acent to one side of the magazine A and adapted to receive the plates 1 successively are feed rolls 2 suitab y operated and interposed between the magazine and the feed rolls is a ledge 3 over which the plates travel in passing to the feed rolls, the feed rolls delivering the plates to the lithographing M machine.

Surmounting the magazine is my improved feed mechanism which comprises a drum 4 mounted upon a shaft 5 extending through the drum at the axis thereof and journaled in bearings carried by appropriate supports 6.

In the present instance, the drum 4: is formed with radial chambers 7 that open out onto the periphery of the drum and are side of the drum. On the outer end of each shaft 12 is a handle 13 by means of which the shaft and pinion may be rotated to move the container 8 and the magnet 9 into and out of the casing. After the container has been moved to the desired position it may be locked in such osition by means of a set screw 14: threaded through the side of the drum or by any other suitable locking means.

The drum 4 is mounted above and at the end of the magazine opposite from the table or ledge 3 and the eleotro-magnets 9 are projected beyond the periphery of the drum a desired distance, as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, so that as the drum is rotated the pole faces of the magnets will be -brought successivel to a sition immediately above the stac of p ates 1, and as each magnet comes into position above the plates such magnet is energized, so that the adjacent sheet. or late will be lifted up and carried forward in .the rotation of the drum, as shown by the horizontal arrow in Figure 2 of the drawing. In the continued rotation of the drum the sheet under the influence of the magnet is slid over the ledge or table 3 and into the feed rolls 2, whence it is delivered tothe lithographing mechanism.

In order to rotate the din a comparatively slow and uniform manner, so that the sheet will be properl fed, suitable mechanism is employed. n the present instance this mechanism comprises an electric motor a link 20.

pivotally connected with a horizontal rack bar 21 slidably mounted within a guide 22 carried by one of the supports of the drum 4. This rack bar 21 meshes with a pinion 23 loosely surrounding the shaft 5 of the drum and pivoted upon the pinion 23 is a dog 24 that engages a ratchet wheel 25 fixed upon the shaft of the drum 4 alongside of the pinion 23. The number of teeth in the ratchet wheel 25 corresponds to the number of magnets 9 and the teeth correspond in position to the positions of the magnets, respectively. y

As the motor operates motion is imparted to the worm and worm gear and link 20 to the rack bar 21, thereby reciprocating the rack bar, and in one movement of the rack bar the pinion 23 is rotated to cause the dog 2% to idle over the ratchet wheel 25, while in the other movement of the pinion 23 the dog 24: engages the adjacent tooth of the ratchet wheel 25, so as to move the drum to bring the next magnet into position to feed the tin plate or sheet, as previously described. Thus the drum is rotated in a step by step manner and at a uniform speed, so that the magnets will feed the plates to the feed rolls uniformly, positively and properly.

These magnets 9 are connected in an electric circuit and are so arranged as to be energized when in position above the tin plates or sheets and to be deenergized when out of the zone of the tin plates or sheets. In order to so energize the magnets I employ in this instance a battery 26 and an electric circuit including a conductor 27, a brush 28 connected to the conductor 27 and bearing upon the conductor a collector ring 29 composed of alternate sections of insulating and conducting material. The sections of conducting material of the collector ring are connected to the respective magnets 9, as shown diagrammatically in Figure 4 of the drawings, and the other terminals of the magnets 9 are connected by means of conductors 30 with a common return wire 31 which in turn is connected with the other side of the batte 26.

y means of the brush 28 and collector ring 29 current is fed to the magnets successively as they enter the zone of the plates, while as each magnet leaves the zone of the The other end of the link 20 is magazine, the circuit through such magnet is broken, thereby permitting the plates that are picked up by each magnet to be relieved of the influence of the magnet after the same .has been delivered to the feeding rolls, so

that such plate may be delivered by the feeding rolls to the lithographing machine.

While I have herein shown and described one preferred form of my invention by way of illustration, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit or confine myself to the precise details of construction herein shown and described as modifications and variations may be made within the scope of the claims and without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Havin' thus described the invention, what is claime as new, is 2- 1. In feeding mechanism, the combination with a magazine and a stack of tin plates therein, of a drum rotatably mounted above said magazine, magnets radiating from said drum and spaced apart equal distances around the drum and adapted to be disposed above the plates successively in the rotation ofthe drum, means for rotating the drum, means for energizing each magnet as it reaches the position above the plates, so

that the topmost plate may be drawn to the magnet and removed from the magazine in the rotation of the drum, said drum rotating means comprising a motor and connections between said motor and drum whereby the drum may be rotated in a step by step manner,

2. In feeding mechanism, the combination with a magazine anda stack of tin plates therein, of a drum rotatably mounted above said magazine, magnets radiating from said drum and spaced apart equal distances around the drum and adapted to be disposed above the plates successively in the rotation of the drum, means for rotating the drum, means for energizing each magnet as it reaches the position above the plates, so that the topmost plate may be drawn to the magnet and removed from the magazine in the rotation of the drum, said drum rotating means comprising a motor and connections between said motor and drum whereby the drum may be rotated in a step by step manner, said connections .comprising'a reciprocatory rack bar, pinion meshing with the rack bar and arranged concentrically of the axis of the drum, a pawl carried by said pinion and a ratchet wheel fixed to the drum concentrically of the axis thereof and engageable by said pawl and formed with. teeth corresponding in number and position to the number and position of said magnets.

3. In feeding mechanism, the combination with a magazine and a stack of tin plates therein, of a drum rotatably mounted above said magazine, magnets radiating from said drum and spaced apart equal dismeoeve tances around the drum and adapted to be in the rotation of the drum, and means for disposed above the plates successively in the adjusting said magnets radially of said rotation of the drum, means for rotating the drum. drum and means for energizing each magnet In testimony whereof I afiix. my signa- 5 as it reaches the position above the plates, ture.

so that the topmost plate may be drawn to the magnet and removed from the magazine Cli-KARLES FINIGANB 

